Apicius, De Re Culinaria
(Lyon: Sebastianus Gryphium), 1541.

Believed to be the oldest cookbook in the Western world, it is supposed to
have originated in the 3rd century and written by one Caelius. Apicius' work
is of great interest for its insights into the daily life of the Romans and
to students of diet and health. There were three Roman gastronome named Apicius
but the book was composed by none of them but by a later writer, one Coelius
or Caelius, who linked his own name with that of Apicius in order to promote
his work. The first edition appeared sometime between 1483 and 1486.

Selected Excerpts from the Text

The following recipe translations are taken from Apicius,
Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome, by Joseph Dommers Vehling (New York:
Dover Publishing), 1977.

Rose Wine - page 11

Make rose wine in this manner: Rose petals, the lower white part removed,
sewed into a linen bag and immersed in wine for seven days. Thereupon add a
sack of new petals which allow to draw for another seven days. Again remove
the old petals and replace them by fresh ones for another week; then strain
the wine through the colander. Before serving, add honey sweetening to taste.
Take care that only the best petals free from dew be used for soaking.

Vegetable Dinner, easily digested - page 23

All green vegetables are suited for this purpose very young beets and well
matured leeks are parboiled; arrange them in a baking dish, grind pepper and
cumin, add broth and condensed must, or anything else to sweeten them a little,
heat and finish them on a slow fire, and serve.

Put in the mortar celery seed, dry pennyroyal, dry mint, ginger, fresh coriander,
seedless raisins, honey, vinegar, oil and wine; crush it together [in order
to make a dressing of it]. Place 3 pieces of Picentian bread in a mould, interlined
with pieces of [cooked] chicken, [cooked] sweetbreads of calf or lamb, cheese,
pignolia nuts, cucumber, finely chopped dry onions [shallots] covering the whole
with [jellified] broth. Bury the mould in snow up to the rim; [unmould] sprinkle
[with the above dressing] and serve.